Door holder and release latch

ABSTRACT

A door holder and release latch on a second door for holding a first door open wherein release of the latch may be actuated from behind the door on which the latch is mounted.

United States Patent 11 1 Dennis June 10, 1975 [54] DOOR HOLDER AND RELEASE LATCH 1.786.470 12/l930 Winter 292/196 1 2.589.872 3/1952 Schetky 292/97 [75] Inventor: Richard D. Dennis, Lakewood.

Calif. FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS 73 Assignce; M g Dough corporamm1 793,975 4/1958 United Kingdom 292/l96 Santa Mbnjca. Calif. .2 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Filed" 1974 Assislanl Examiner-Carl F. Pietruszka l2] 1 Appl. No.: 440,678 Attorney, Agent. or Firm-Robert 0. Richardson;

Walter 1. Jason; Donald L. Royer [52] U.S. Cl. 292/97; 292/196; 292/DIG. 15'.

292/010. 65 [57] ABSTRACT 2 SE 3/30 g g i g A door holder and release latch on a second door for holding a first door open wherein release of the latch may be actuated from behind the door on which the [56] References Cited latch is mounted.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.120.095 12/1914 Shook 292 97 6 Clalms- 5 Drawmfl P056 44 I46 32 I IIIIIIIIIIII/flrll. 2 a 1 a 49% 50 j .20 70 l m UNLAI'CA/ l 4.4rc//0 P0$/770/V /9 I 44 T 1 q a I 2o PATENTEDJUH 10 ms 3 8 88, 526

sum 1 UM; ATCl/ED DOOR HOLDER AND RELEASE LATCH BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION In commercial aircraft space must be efficiently utilized. In at least one such aircraft a passenger lavatory is close to the pilots compartment and the doors of each are in close proximity to each other. On occasion the pilot's door must be held open. at which time it rests against the lavatory door. This prevents the lavatory door from being opened. much to the chagrin of the passenger trapped inside who then must ring for the stewardess to extricate him from this embarrassing situation.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The door holder and release latch of the present invention is developed for installation in a second door (the lavatory door) for the purpose of latching a first door (the pilots door) in its open position. This latch is also adapted to be released by a person behind the second door so that the first door may be closed and the second door opened.

Briefly, a latch member on the outside of the second door may be pivoted outwardly to engage the hook thereon to the outer edge of the first door when that door is in open position. A remote release plate is pivotally mounted on the inside of the second door and is pivotally connected by an over-the-centcr link to the latch member wherein inward depression of the remote release plate frees the latch element from the first door to permit the first door to move out of the way of the second door and to permit the second door to be opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the relationship of the two doors and the latch of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a plan view partially in section showing the latch mounted in the second door and in unlatched position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the latch in an intermediate position in the latching sequence.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the latch in its latched position, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the latch in its unlatching position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Reference is made to FIG. 1 wherein there is shown a first door mounted by hinges 12 to a wall 14. This door pivots counterclockwise in this view to its open position as shown where its outer edge is engaged by latch element I8 to maintain the door 10 in this open position. This latch element 18 is on the outer end of an integral elongated latch arm 20 which is shown extending outwardly from the second door 16. A rotation of the latch arm 20 in a counterclockwise position will free the latch element 18 from engagement from door edge 19, permitting door 10 to swing in the direction of arrow 22 to its closed position and away from its interference with the opening of door 16 in the direction of arrow 24.

The second door 16 is mounted on hinges 26 to a wall 28 and opens outwardly in the direction of arrow 24, although it may be mounted to open inwardly if desired. The two doors l0 and 16 in their closed positions are in vertical planes normal to each other although this is not a critical environment for the invention.

The construction of the door holder and release latch can best be understood with reference to the plan view shown in FIG. 2. An appropriate opening 29 is made in the door 16 to receive an outside mounting 30 and an inside mounting 32. These mountings may be molded or formed flanged plates and preferably are metal stampings which flt within the door opening 29 with out-turned flanges over the door surfaces to present a pleasing appearance. Mounting 32 has an upturned flange 34 on its inner edge. Mounting 30 has an L- shapcd bracket 36 fastened along its inner edge 38 al though it also may have an upturned flange instead of the bracket in some applications. The upturned portion 40 of bracket 36 and flange 34 are fastened together such as by a metal screw 42 to retain the mountings 30 and 32 within the door opening. as shown.

A latch member 44, consisting of latch element 18 at the end of latch arm 20 and a link arm 46. is mounted on pin 48 attached to outside mounting 30. Latch arm 20 is elongated and fits substantially flush with the outturned flanges of outside mounting 30, as shown, when in unlatched position and may be horizontally pivoted outwardly through the positions shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. A helical spring 50 is anchored at one end to pin 48 and at its other end to the latch member 44 so that the latch member is spring urged to remain in its closed position. However. this tendency may be overcome by an operator urging against an outer serrated raised surface 52 on the latch member 44 in a counterclockwise direction about pin 48 to move the latch element l8 to its latching position, shown in FIG. 4.

A passenger remote release plate 54 is mounted at one end by pivot pin 56 to the inside mounting 32 and may be pressed into the plane of the door frame 16, such as may be seen in FIG. 5, by a trapped passenger if desired. A mounting bracket 58 is fastened to the inside of plate 54. A link 60 is pivotally connected at one end 62 to bracket 58 on release plate 54 and is pivotally connected at its other end 64 to the link arm 46 of latch member 44. It should be noted that link arm 46 and its connection with link 60 is at a position substantially normal to the direction of length of latch arm 20 so that the inward push on plate 54, in the direction of arrow 66 in FIG. 5, is translated through link 60 into a rotational movement of pivot 64 about pivot 48 as shown by arrow 70. This causes a lateral movement of latch element IS in the direction of arrow 72 to free it from its retention of door 10, all as shown in FIG. 5. In the installation of mountings 30 and 32 in door 16, link 60 will be attached at only one end and the other attachment may be made after the two mountings 30 and 32 have been secured together by fastener 42. It is to be noted that in FIG. 2 the pivot connection of link end 64 with link arm 46 is to the right of an imaginary line between the pivot point between link end 62 and bracket 58, and pivot pin 48, whereas in FIGS. 4 and 5 with latch arm 20 extending outwardly, this pivot connection of link end 64 is on the left.

Having described one form of the structure of the latch of the present invention, reference is now had to the sequence of positions of the various parts as shown in the remaining views. As previously mentioned. the latch member 44 is in its unlatched position as shown in FIGv 2. In FIG. 3 is shown the position of latch member 44 and push plate 54 at the commencement of the door latching operation when the operator has pushed the serrated surface 52 counterclockwise to expose latch element 18 which has moved outwardly in the direction of arrow 67. Link 60 has pushed plate 54 outwardly in the direction of arrow 68 also.

From the position shown in FIG. 3 the operator can then grasp latch arm 20 for further counterrotation and then release. with latch element 18 retaining edge of door in its open position as shown in Fl( 4. Release plate 54, which has been pushed outwardly by link 60. has returned to its flush position with link 60 substan' tially normal to the plane of the plate 54.

From the door latched position in H6. 4 the trapped passenger pushes release plate 54. in the direction of arrow 66 in FIG. 5. This force is transmitted through link 60. which is substantially normal to the plane of the plate 54. to rotate link arm 46 about pivot point 48 in the direction of arrow 70. When this occurs latch arm moves from its latched position. shown in phantom lines with latch element 18 over edge 19 of door 10 (as in FIG. 4 in the direction ofarrow 72 to the position shown in FIG. 5. If door l0 is spring loaded to move in the direction of arrow 74 it will do so. If not spring loaded. the opening of door 16 will cause door 10 to move out of the way. Since latch member 44 is spring loaded by spring 50 to urge it to its closed position it will then return to the unlatched position shown in FIG. 2.

Having thus described an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that modifications thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art and that these deviations are to be construed as part of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A door holder and release latch for mounting in an opening in a wall structure to retain a first pivotal door in a position with its outer vertical edge in close proximity to said wall structure. said latch being adaptable for release of said door upon actuation thereof from either side of said wall structure, said latch comprising:

an inside mounting and an outside mounting adapted to be inserted in an opening in said wall structure. said mountings being connected together to retain them in said opening,

a latch member pivotally mounted on said outside mounting,

a remote release plate mounted on said inside mounting. and

a link interconnecting said plate and said latch member for interaction thercbetween.

said latch member being mounted at a point intermediate the ends of said latch member. that portion of said latch member extending from said point in one direction forming a latch arm with the outer end thereof terminating in a door edge engaging latch element, and that portion of said latch member extending from said point in the other direction forming a link arm with its end connected to said link.

2. A door holder and release latch as in claim 1 in combination with a wall structure and a first pivotal door wherein said wall structure is a second pivotal door and wherein said first pivotal door is in open position when its outer vertical edge is in close proximity to said wall structure.

3. A door holder and release latch as in claim 1 wherein depression of said release plate causes pivotal movement of said latch member on said outside mounting.

4. A door holder and release latch as in claim I wherein said link arm is substantially normal to the plane of said latch arm.

5. A door holder and release latch as in claim 4 wherein the pivotal connection between said link and said link arm rotates about the pivot point of said latch member as said latch member rotates.

6. A door holder and release latch as in claim 5 wherein said link is substantially normal to the plane of said release plate when said latch arm is in latched position whereby inward depression of said release plate is translated through said link to cause pivotal actuation of said latch member. 

1. A door holder and release latch for mounting in an opening in a wall structure to retain a first pivotal door in a position with its outer vertical edge in close proximity to said wall structure, said latch being adaptable for release of said door upon actuation thereof from either side of said wall structure, said latch comprising: an inside mounting and an outside mounting adapted to be inserted in an opening in said wall structure, said mountings being connected together to retain them in said opening, a latch member pivotally mounted on said outside mounting, a remote release plate mounted on said inside mounting, and a link interconnecting said plate and said latch member for interaction therebetween, said latch member being mounted at a point intermediate the ends of said latch member, that portion of said latch member extending from said point in one direction forming a latch arm with the outer end thereof terminating in a door edge engaging latch element, and that portion of said latch member extending from said point in the other direction forming a link arm with its end connected to said link.
 2. A door holder and release latch as in claim 1 in combination with a wall structure and a first pivotal door wherein said wall structure is a second pivotal door and wherein said first pivotal door is in open position when its outer vertical edge is in close proximity to said wall structure.
 3. A door holder and release latch as in claim 1 wherein depression of said release plate causes pivotal movement of said latch member on said outside mounting.
 4. A door holder and release latch as in claim 1 wherein said link arm is substantially normal to the plane of said latch arm.
 5. A door holder and release latch as in claim 4 wherein the pivotal connection between said link and said link arm rotates about the pivot point of said latch member as said latch member rotates.
 6. A door holder and release latch as in claim 5 wherein said link is substantially normal to the plane of said release plate when said latch arm is in latched position whereby inward depression of said release plate is translated through said link to cause pivotal actuation of said latch member. 